How to Force Stored Procedure Execution on Dropdown Change in Bold BI

In Bold BI dashboards, stored procedures may not re-execute when users change a value in a dropdown (combo box). This happens due to caching behavior, causing widgets to display outdated data.
This article explains how to configure your dashboard to force stored procedure execution on every parameter change.

Section	Summary
Problem Statement	Dropdown changes refresh widgets, but stored procedures don’t re-execute; cached/temp data is used.
Expected Behaviour	Stored procedures should re-run with updated parameters on each dropdown change.
Root Cause	Internal Cache mode reuses results from temporary tables.
Solution Overview	Use Dashboard Parameters + Open Query mode, and bind dropdown to parameters.

Use this approach when:

You use stored procedures with dynamic filters
Dropdown changes are not reflecting updated data
Your dashboard is embedded and requires real-time results

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Create Dashboard Parameters

In the Bold BI Dashboard Designer, click on the datasource icon.
Click on Edit to navigate to the Data Source configuration window.
In the data design section, locate the Parameter icon.
Create parameters, for example:
- UserID (Used to pass user-specific or dynamic values to the stored procedure.)
- ProjectID (Used to control filtering through the Combo Box widget.)
Enable Set First Value (recommended for initial execution).
Save and Update.

Step 2: Reconnect the Stored Procedure Using Open Query

Create a new datasource using the same SQL Server connection
In the data source designer, select Stored Procedure and choose the procedure (e.g., dbo.usp_GetProjectDashboard).
Drag and drop it onto the designer:
For each input:
- Set Value Type = Parameter
Map parameters (UserID, ProjectID) to the procedure inputs
Set the execution mode to Open Query then click Save

Open Query ensures that the stored procedure executes directly against the database whenever parameter values change, preventing cached results from being reused.

If you encounter an Open Query error:

Server is not configured for DATA ACCESS

Cause: Open Query mode requires SQL Server to allow data access operations.
Solution: Enable data access using the below in your SQL Server Management Studio:

EXEC sp_serveroption
   @server = '<your-server-name>', 
   @optname = 'data access', 
   @optvalue = 'true';

Example in SSMS:

After enabling, retry saving the data source.

Step 3: Configure Combo Box Parameter Mapping

In the dashboard designer, Add a Combo Box widget
Assign a table-based data source and bind:
- Value: ProjectID
- Display Column (Optional) : ProjectName
Open Parameter Mapping Configuration from the dashboard designer.
Select the dashboard parameter (ProjectID).
Configure mapping:
- Widget: ComboBox1
- Target Column: ProjectID
Click Update to apply the mapping.

This mapping ensures that the selected dropdown value is passed to the stored procedure parameter during execution.

Step 4: Validate Parameter Mapping

Ensure:
- UserID → set as a dashboard parameter (default or fixed value for testing)
- ProjectID → controlled via Combo Box

Step 5: Publish and Test

Publish the dashboard.
Open the dashboard in the Bold BI server or embedded environment and test.
Change dropdown values to test.

Configuration Summary

Scenario	Recommended Approach
Passing parameters	Dashboard Parameters
Dropdown filtering	Combo Box + Parameter binding
Avoid caching	Open Query mode
Cross-filter usage	Avoid for Stored Procedure execution

FAQs

Question	Answer
Is this an expected behavior?	Yes. If Internal Cache mode is enabled, Bold BI may reuse cached data instead of re-running stored procedures.
Does Bold BI cache stored procedure results?	Yes. Results can be stored in temporary tables and reused during interactions.
How can I force stored procedure re-execution?	Use Dashboard Parameters and switch to Open Query mode.
Should I use Dashboard Parameters instead of Cross Filters?	Yes. Parameters provide better control for stored procedure execution.
Can caching or temp-table reuse be disabled?	Yes. Using Open Query mode ensures queries execute directly without caching.

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Written by Erick Oloo Awino

Updated:

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